Asking, asking, asking

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. (I John 5:14-15)

I have had a tough time asking God for his intervention on occasion, all because I wasn't too certain he would 'want' to grant my request, or that in the scheme of things, it was all that important to 'bother him' with. What a silly gal I was! Thinking God didn't care about stuff because it was 'insignificant' or a mere 'want' or 'wish'. God isn't put off by our requests - especially when he knows our heart, understands our desires, and has our best interests in mind. Does that mean we will always receive things the way we ask for them, in the timing we ask for them to occur, or in the 'proportions' we are seeking? Not always! The key is that we ask for his intervention. Then we wait for his timing and plan to be accomplished. That's the hard part - asking is easy, waiting is hard!

The closer we allow our heart to get to his, the better our understanding of how he will move. The closer we are to him, the less we will ask for things that are outside of his will. Could it be that simple? Yes, in fact, when our heart draws close to his, we begin to 'ask' of him differently. We begin to seek the things that please his heart as much as they will bless or please ours. God hears our requests - each and every one of them. When we allow our lives to be conformed to his teachings, drawing close to him in times of truthful, heartfelt sharing, we soon develop a 'knack' for asking the right questions, seeking the right answers, and leaning into the right direction for our lives.

Prayer opens the door for us to begin to finally listen to his still small voice. Most people think of prayer as talking TO God, but I would like us to consider it as time we spend talking WITH God. One way communication is never enough. We need to stop, listen, and respond. That is the only way we will ever understand his will, appreciate his heart, and relate to his purposes. It may come as a surprise to some, but a big part of prayer is not just laying out our requests, but it is quieting ourselves long enough to hear what he says about those requests. That is where obedience begins, and our hearts begin to be transformed. Just sayin!